Collapsible cage for birds



, April 2 1957 A- E. DIEFENDORF COLLAPSIBLE CAGE FOR BIRDS Filed April 11, 1955 HTTOFN COLLAPSIBLE CAGE FOR BIRDS Aurel E. Diefendorf, Topeka, Kans.

Application April 11, 1955, Serial No. 500,404

7 Claims. (Cl. 119-17) This invention relates to cages for birds and small animals and, more particularly, to a knock-down type enclosure which may be assembled and disassembled easily and quickly to permit transfer or storage thereof with a minimum of effort.

The most important object of the present invention is to provide, in a knock-down type enclosure, a collapsible body portion which include opposed, hingedly interconnected side and end walls and a flanged top which may be placed on the walls at the upper ends thereof to hold the walls expanded.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of base structure adapted for receiving and supporting the lower edges of the body portion, which structure may be in the nature of a table or the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide channel means on the base structure for receiving the lower edges of the body portion and thus cooperating.

with the top member to hold the body portion in an expanded position, the channel means being open at one side of the structure to permit sliding movement of a tray toward and away from a position beneath the top member.

Other, more minor objectives of the present invention include details of construction of the collapsible body portion, the top, the channel means and the base structure, as will become apparent in the specification which follows.

in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an enclosure made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, with the legs of the supporting structure shown fragmentarily.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical cross section taken on line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical cross section taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal cross section taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a top, plan view, on a reduced scale, of the central body portion of the cage of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which this central body portion may be collapsed when not in use.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts, the enclosure of the present invention is designated broadly by the numeral and includes, as elements thereof, a top member or lid 12, a collapsible body portion 14, a tray 16 and a base or supporting structure 18.

In the embodiment chosen for illustration, top 12 and body portion 14 are fabricated from Wire screen or any suitable foraminous, sheet material. Top 12 is provided with a lateral, peripheral flange 20, the latter being reinforced throughout its length by a binding 22. As best illustrated in Fig. 2, the binding 22 takes the form of an initially fiat, elongated strip of any suitable, light-weight sheet material which has been bent along a longitudinal States Patent 0 line and clamped to the flange 20 in press fit engagement therewith.

Body portion 14 is rectangular in configuration and includes a pair of end walls 24, and a pair of side walls 26 presenting four vertical corners lying in parallel planes. Hinge means 28 interconnects proximal walls along the adjoining edges thereof at each of the corners. Each of the walls 24 and 26 is provided, along the upper and lower edges thereof, with a binding 25 which is coextensive in length with the respective walls and similar, in all respects, to the binding 22 on flange 20 of top member 12. By virtue of the hinges 28, body portion 14 may be expanded to the position shown in Fig. 1 and held in that position by engagement of the upper bindings 25 with the binding 22 on flange 20 of top member 12. Similarly, after removal of top member 12, body portion 14 may be collapsed to the position shown in Fig. 5 to facilitate transfer or storage thereof.

The base structure 18 chosen for illustration includes a table having a top panel 30 and conventional supporting legs 32 which may be braced as at 34. On its uppermost surface, panel 30 is specially provided with three pairs of spaced rails 36 and 38 between which is presented a U- shaped channel having a bight and an inner and outer leg spaced from each other, said channel receiving the lower bindings 25 of the Walls 24 and 26. The outer rails tion 14 is expanded and placed on the panel 30 in the v manner described, with the lower bindings 25 between the p on the lower edge of one of the walls 26 terminates rails 36-38, the body portion 14 will be maintained in the expanded position not only by the rails 3638 but also by the engagement thereof with the flange 20-0f top member 12. Viewing Fig. 3, it is seen that the binding 25 above the lower edge of the remaining walls 24 and26, to present a clearance slot therebeneath for the tray 16 which is slidable on the upper surface of panel 30 between the opposed pair of inner rails 38.

The tray 16 is generally pan shaped and includes an upstanding, peripheral lip 40. At the front of tray 16, lip

40 extends upwardly above the lowermost edge of the corresponding side Wall 26 and is there provided with a handle 42. Additionally, each of the inner rails 38 is provided with a slot 44 which receives the lip 40 as tray 16 is moved into position beneath the top member 12.

One of the walls 24 is provided with an access opening (not shown) and with a door 46 slidable in a pair of spaced tracks 48. The tracks 48 are U-shaped in transverse cross section and provided at each end thereof with a projection 50 which is attached to one of the transverse Wires of the wall 24. The door 46 is fabricated from a sheet of wire screen of the same mesh as that used for the walls 24-26 and the top 12 and is reinforced throughout its periphery with a binding 47 which is identical to the binding 22 on the top member 12, except as to dimensions.

In assembly, the body portion 14 is expanded and the lower, reinforced, marginal portions of the walls 24 and 26 are placed in the channels presented between the inner and outer rails 36 and 38. Tray 16 may then be moved into the slots 44 and the necessary play items (not shown) located within the body portion 14. Subsequently, top member 12 is placed on body portion 14 with the flange 20 circumscribing the upper marginal portions of the walls 24 and 26, and the enclosure 10 of the present invention is then ready for use. A semi-permanent enclosure 10 has thus been provided which is not only sturdy and attractive but also highly practicable. The tray 16 may be removed for periodic cleaning and access may be had to the interior of the enclosure 10- through door 46. As necessary, the enclosure may be disassembled and the body portion 14 collapsed for storage with the top member 12 beneath the panel 30.

It is obvious that the embodiment herein disclosed is a preferred form only and that many changes or modifications may be made therein without departing from the broad principles of the present invention. Such changes or modifications are contemplated hereby and it is, therefore, desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. In a collapsible bird cage, a rectangular body portion of foraminous sheet material and including a pair of normally upright, spaced, opposed end walls, and a pair of normally upright, spaced, opposed side walls presenting four vertical corners lying in parallel planes; hinge means interconnecting the walls at said corners whereby the body may be collapsed by movement of diagonally opposed hinged corners toward each other; a polygonal top member having a lateral, peripheral flange circumscribing said walls and in engagement with the uppermost marginal portions thereof for holding the body portion expanded at the uppermost end thereof; and base structure provided with an upwardly facing, U-shaped, polygonal channel therein for receiving said walls at the lowermost ends thereof, when the body portion is expanded.

2, In a bird cage as set forth in claim 1 wherein is provided an access opening in one of said walls and a door mounted on said one wall for sliding movement to and from a position in closing relationship to said opening.

3. In a collapsible bird cage, a rectangular body portion of foraminous sheet material and including opposed, hingedly interconnected side and end walls; a top member having a lateral, peripheral flange circumscribing said walls and in engagement with the uppermost marginal portions thereof for holding the body portion expanded at the uppermost end thereof; base structure having an upper surface for supporting said body portion, said structure being provided with three pairs of spaced rails thereon, presenting upwardly facing U-shaped channels for receiving three of said Walls at the lowermost ends thereof, when the body portion is expanded; and a tray slidable on said structure between the opposed, inner rails, toward and away from the third inner rail the lowermost marginal edge of one of the wallsterrninating above said upper surface to provide a clearance space for said tray.

4. In a bird cage as set forth in claim 3 wherein said tray is provided with an upstanding, peripheral lip and wherein said inner rails each have slots formed in the inner surface thereof for receiving said lip.

5. in a bird cage as set forth in claim 4 wherein is provided a binding for each of said walls at the upper and lower edges thereof and for said flange, said binding comprising an elongated strip of rigid, sheet material joined to the respective walls and to the flange along marginal portions thereof.

6. In a bird cage as set forth in claim 5 wherein each binding is U-shaped and has a marginal portion of a wall or the flange between the legs thereof.

7. In a collapsible bird cage, a rectangular body portion of wire screen and having a pair of normally upright, spaced, opposed end walls, and a pair of normally upright, spaced, opposed side walls presenting four vertical corners lying in parallel planes; hinge means interconnecting the Walls at said corners whereby the body may be collapsed by movement of diagonally opposed hinged corners toward each other, one of said walls being provided with an access opening; a top member of wire screen, said top member having a lateral, peripheral flange circumscribing the upper marginal portion of said body portion when in place thereon; base structure having a substantially flat, upper surface provided with a pair of spaced, U-shaped rails, each having a b ight and an inner and outer leg spaced from each other, said rails presenting an upwardly facing U-shaped channel for receiving the lower, marginal portions of three of said Walls; and a tray slidable on said upper surface between the legs of the inner rail toward and away from the bight of said inner rail the lowermost marginal edge of one of the walls terminating above said upper surface to provide a clearance space for said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,581,082 Clarke Apr. 13, 1926 1,635,942 Knudsen July 12, 1927 2,529,893 Albert Nov. 14, 1950 2,678,628 Williams May 18, 1954 2,708,900 Yellin May 24, 1955 

